JL Short Fiction

Making The Rent [5]

The time between dinner and the present opening seemed to crawl. Lisa, Jennie and Hanbin were all acting strangely, and they knew it showed without glancing at Mr. Kim and Mrs. Kim's confused faces. Dinner was polite, but strained and the giving of gifts was not nearly as joyful and jolly as usual.

Mr. Kim frowned as he looked over his daughter. Things had been going so well. She had been struggling for a while and avoiding the family in her frustrating attempt at making it on her own, but then everything seemed to fall in place. She had looked happier and healthier than he had seen her since she was a child. For the last year, she seemed almost blissful.

Now, he had a feeling that everything was about to blow up in his face. Hanbin and Lisa spent the entire night glaring at each other from separate corners, hardly speaking at all and Jennie seemed to have turned into herself, as if she hoped to disappear at any given moment.

When they were all stuffed with food and surrounded by opened gifts, sipping coffee in almost unbearable silence, Lisa suddenly stood up. "I can't stand one more second of this," she mumbled as she rose to her feet. "Uncle, Aunty," she said and then added a grunted "Hanbin" at the end. "You along with Jennie have been the only family I have ever known. I respect and care for all of you."

Mr. Kim and Mrs. Kim exchanged looks of confusion as Lisa held her hand out to Jennie, silently asking her to join her. She stood on wobbly legs and made her way towards her from across the room, seeming to struggle with an inner battle with every step. Finally, Lisa took her hand and threaded her fingers through her.

"Jennie and I have been seeing each other for almost a year now," Lisa blurted, trying not to choke on her words, "and I'd like your blessing to marry her."

Jennie nearly gave herself whiplash turning to face Lisa. Her eyes widened with the obvious shock and Lisa squeezed her hand before bringing it to her lips. It took serious concentration not to pass out or scream.

Mr. Kim coughed, choking on his coffee. His face blank with shock, Mrs. Kim mindlessly took the cup from his hands and patted him on the back. Once Mr. Kim had recovered, he shot a severe look at Lisa. Slowly, rising from his chair, he surveyed the couple in front of him. "I feel like I'm missing some information here."

"I'm sorry," Lisa began.

Jennie silenced her with a look and turned to face her parents. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she said, looking at her parents and then to Hanbin. "I was so determined to make it on my own, to not accept anyone's help that I backed myself into a corner. I've cut myself off from you guys when all you wanted to do was protect me."

"It seems Lisa has taken care of that," Mr. Kim said shortly.

Jennie frowned at her father. "It wasn't like that," she said seriously. "Lisa was a really great friend. And when things got to be ... more, she tried to back off. We both did. Because we knew you guys would freak." She looked pointedly at Hanbin who wouldn't meet her gaze.

She sighed, squeezing Lisa's hand gently. "We're her family and I can't bear the thought that she could lose all of this because of me, because of some stupid misconceptions. I'm an adult. Lisa is an adult. We're in a long-term, committed relationship. I know it wasn't very adult of us to keep it from you, but in all honesty, given how it's turned out, could you really blame us?"

Slowly, Mr. Kim sunk down into his chair. "No," he admitted, "I suppose I don't blame you." he took a deep breath and released it. Reaching over, he took Mrs. Kim's hand and looked her in the eye. She smiled gently at him. Turning back to face the couple, he said, "Not that you need it, but if you want it, you have my blessing, Lisa."

"Thank you," Lisa replied calmly, but her muscles were so tense, she was sure she'd sprain her neck if she turned her head too quickly. She took a deep breath and turned to Hanbin. "Somehow I don't think you will have the same thing to say, Han," Lisa said warily, squeezing Jennie's hand so hard she winced.